Radhey Premika ~ The Bride Of Karna

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 25 ~ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓸𝓷𝓭 𝓞𝓯 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓷𝔂

The heavy silence hung in the air like a curtain, and the temple courtyard, filled with the weight of destiny, held its breath. Everyone stood frozen in the aftermath of the impossible, gazing at Vrinda, the delicate mangalsutra now adorning her neck—a symbol of marriage, unity, and an unspoken promise.

The question that lingered on everyone's mind was simple yet profound: Who had tied the mangalsutra around her neck?

For a moment, it seemed as though the world itself had stilled. Vrinda stood in shock, her fingers trembling as they traced the beads of the sacred thread. The weight of the pendant was foreign against her chest, and the meaning of it all settled slowly in her mind. Her heart raced wildly, a storm of confusion and disbelief swirling within her.

Rukmi was the first to snap out of his daze, and his disbelief turned to blinding rage. He clenched his fists and stepped forward, glaring around at everyone in the courtyard. "Who—?" His voice cracked, his frustration boiling over. "Who dared to tie the mangalsutra around her neck?" His eyes scanned the group wildly, landing briefly on Krishna and Balram, before shifting to Karna.

But Karna stood calm, his face unreadable. There was something in his eyes, though, a flicker of emotion that was too brief to capture. His stance was firm, resolute, yet his heart beat with a quiet intensity he had never experienced before.

Vrinda, still reeling from the shock, raised her gaze slowly toward Karna. There was a glimmer of something between them, an invisible thread that seemed to pull them closer, even amidst the chaos that surrounded them. Her breath hitched as she realized what had just happened—who had just stepped in at the last second to save her from the unthinkable.

The moments before that final act replayed in her mind, each one falling into place like the pieces of a puzzle.

As Rukmi had dragged her toward the altar, Vrinda had felt sheer panic, her mind swirling with terror. Her friend Rukmini had cried out for help, and Karna had stood there, watching with silent intensity. And then, it happened.

Just as Rukmi had begun to lift the mangalsutra, Vrinda had felt a shift—a presence behind her. It was sudden, a blur of movement too fast for her to fully comprehend. But in the corner of her eye, she had seen Karna—moving with the swift precision of a warrior, his focus unshakable.

In that moment, something inside him had shifted. Watching Vrinda's terror, witnessing her fear as she was about to be forced into a fate she had not chosen, stirred something deep within him. He had known what needed to be done.

Without thinking, Karna had moved. His heart, always guided by honor and duty, had made the decision for him.

He had stepped behind Vrinda just as Rukmi had raised the mangalsutra, and with an almost imperceptible speed, he had snatched the sacred thread from Rukmi's grasp. In one fluid motion, Karna had tied the mangalsutra around Vrinda's neck.

Time had slowed for him in that moment. His fingers had grazed her skin as he carefully secured the pendant, feeling the warmth of her breath and the soft tremble of her body beneath his touch. His heart had pounded in his chest as he performed the sacred act, binding her to him with a vow that went beyond words.

As the last knot had been tied, Karna had stepped back, allowing the shadows of the temple to conceal his actions. But the truth was there, hidden in plain sight. The mangalsutra had been tied—and he was the one who had tied it.

Now, in the present, the weight of what had happened was sinking in for everyone. Rukmi, still furious, advanced toward Karna, his fists clenched, his eyes blazing with fury.